Flaubert, Gustave | First edition of Madame Bovary, with a letter by the author inserted

Flaubert, Gustave

Madame Bovary: moeurs de province. Paris: Michel Lévy Frères, 1857

2 volumes, 12mo (183 x 115 mm). Half-titles. Crushed red morocco by Canape (signed on front doublures), spines gilt-lettered in six compartments, crushed green morocco doublures, marbled linings, top edges gilt, others uncut, original printed wrappers bound in; joints rubbed, spines a trifle darkened. Marbled board slipcase; quite rubbed.

First book-form edition, following serialization in Revue de Paris. Extra-illustrated by the insertion of an engraved portrait of Flaubert, an engraved pictorial title from the Lemerre edition, 17 etchings by Boilvin and Fourie, and an autograph letter signed by the author ("G. Flaubert") to an unnamed recipient, one page, Croisset, no date, to an unidentified correspondent about encouraging their mutual friend Victor Hugo to contribute to a subscription for a monument.